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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stand · stick · can · band · jam · patient · deal · drill

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. can — a tin
  6. drill — a practice
  7. can — a tin
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. band — a music group
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. drill — the tool
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. can — to be able to
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stand — to bear
  23. band — a ring
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com